Experiences of a teacher of English

We second or foreign language teachers are prone to teach that nice language, and that’s ok. Now, something so important is to meet our students’ needs and expectations.  Otherwise we would be like plowing in the sea.  We need to know what our students need the language for.  So we could draw and make up like a questionnaire to find out about those needs and expectations. Is it academics, general English, business English, computing English, for tourism, for commerce…?  Also we should take into account that anyway those our students may have to learn general English as a matter of fact. And then, with that load of English they will be able to understand for example computing English.  General English will be okay to deal with that specific English.  If you’re teaching young students and they don’t know what they’ll need English for, you can anyway pass a questionnaire to those people in order to find out: previous experience, any ta...

  We language teachers can teach for example general English, and that’s ok, but we may have to teach ESP, this is English for Special Purposes, which demands a lot from us teachers, because we’ve got to recycle our English and learn how to say many things in a sort of variety of English: business English, science English, etc. But the result is magnificent: we make possible to set communication among people from all over the world. We English language teachers build bridges among people, and what was an obstacle, English, becomes a bridge for communication between people, isn’t it great? This also happens with Spanish: many people from America and from Europe, namely Spain can communicate in that marvelous language. We in our center have a new teacher from Chile and we teachers can talk with her in Spanish. The human person only grows well if he’s in contact with other people, because man and woman only develop their potentials when living in a society, I mean with o...

Speaking for longer is evidently a more advanced activity than responding with single sentences.  An activity you could implement is Presenting promises of a candidate/nominee to be voted as the president of your country.  It’s an activity for advanced groups. The students that can carry out this exercise probably have seen elections in their countries or in other countries.  Make two candidates prepare their speeches in the class or as homework.  One can be a republican and another a democrat, or a member of the Labor party and another student who is a conservative nominee.  They have to win their classmates’ votes. These latter students can ask questions to the nominees after their speech, or pose an objection.  It seems an interesting activity. We have played this game in their mother language and turned out well. I hope it’ll work in the foreign or second language. / Photo from: presentation skills. workplus wordpress c...

I’ve been writing about teaching and learning English for long in this post. Ok, but what is the ultimate goal of learning English?  This latter one is not other than communication among people.  Today, in 2014, English is the lingua franca for communication all over the world.  Thus, we’re making our students become people who are capable of mastering English for communication amongst people in all the world, as I said. / Photo from: Perth Sports Physiotherapy for Skiing injuries iphysioperth com au

Teacher B said to teacher A, “One activity for older students or advanced ones is to compose and invent a resume (or Curriculum Vitae ).  You give them clues about some points of that resume.  Then, the student has to present the resume like he was [ sic ] about to apply for a job. The student ought to include his or her strong points: things he or she is good at or aptitudes they have.” / Photo from: www sofeminine co uk. girl typing her resume

Teacher B said to teacher A, “I have seen in movies and novels man and woman’s universal tendency to happiness, beauty, good, plenitude.  And today I wanted to have you realize those tendencies in our students. In general terms I can see all that in my students now when the end of the academic year is approaching.  This year for example I have seen that thirst for plenitude in the reader we’ve read, A Tale of Two Cities . And that’s only one example. As well we saw all that interesting stuff when practicing job interviews in class.” / Photo from: news everest edu. a real job interview

I publish a post that can be useful for teachers of advanced levels of English or any other language. The text was published January 8, 2011, on a post from this very blog. I’ve changed minor things. / Photo from: thisoldhouse com. perfect interior painting   537. Practicing for the near future Saturday, January 8, 2011 Here is a set of activities I helped to compose for a three-week course of English; a set of activities directed to the advanced students. We tried to think of high level activities, professional ones inasmuch as possible; as well it should be useful for the students’ near future. This document was included in the book I wrote for teachers of modern languages. Apéndice 18 Objetivos para un curso de inglés de verano May 18, 2007   Advanced group. Professional-like. Demand the following three objectives from the NN Academia’s teacher. Core point: help the students learn and practice professional English, in view of social current ...

One day teacher of English A said to teacher of English B, “I just heard this is in the school cafeteria: One teacher of English, if someone adult asks him or her for taking private classes, the first thing, at the first interview between they two, is for the teacher to listen to the potential client. So as to make out an ample view of his or her needs. This is of a paramount importance, look. You know, the point here is to clearly find out which the student’s necessities are: some learners look for getting the ability of reading scientific texts in English – just that. Others want to focus on gaining fluency at speaking - just that. The teacher, coming to head, must adapt his teaching in order to really be useful to cover those needs, in rather a short period, usually. How? First listen and put in his or her shoes. Thus, the point is to teach him English to face up those expectations and needs, with all his experience at teaching and planning classes - now they’re classes of English f...

Here is a set of activities I help to compose, for a three-week course of English; a set of activities directed to the advanced students. We tried to think of high level activities, professional ones inasmuch as possible; as well as useful for the students’ near future. This document was included in the book I wrote for teachers of modern languages. Sorry for I don’t find italics in the laptop I’m using these days. I have corrected some mistakes, left some others. / Photo from: tennis-game-400 sports-information org Apéndice 18 Objetivos para un curso de inglés de verano. New version of ’07 CE Mainlines after a conversation with the Assistant of the program This layout might be taken as well for the Top-level group #304 May 18, 2007 A. Advanced group. Professional status-like. Demand the following three objectives from the NN Academia’s teacher. Core point: help the students learn and practice professional English, in view of social current realistic demands, plus what their parents to...

One day teacher of English A said to teacher of English B, “Yesterday I started a course for old people, a new situation for me! They are some ten learners, sitting around a large table, with me, all of them like piercing me and ears clung to any word from me. The learners are close to no idea of English. I had a few clear ideas beforehand. Like: what are their expectations?; the aim of this organization (this school) is to engage the elderly’s time with something their choice; the principal told me they must keep on with the classes in a relaxing mood; I’ve got to teach them things useful for traveling to England, for example. In a few words: I must adjust my teaching to both relaxing and exacting to put in effort and perseverance in attending the classes.” / Photo from: lady_cleaner_z_r2tr thecaringassistant com

One day teacher of English A said to teacher of English B, “I’ve met a lot of adult people that would like to learn English as something definite, not just as something ethereal. These people, albeit they see the necessity of English today, at last they do nothing. To create a necessity is essential here. Help them out, appoint private classes. A teacher can set realistic steps: the adults need someone who would lead and demand them to carry out a real learning. And with the passing time they’ll become motivated because they’ll like English. Two examples of activities you could set as clear goals for those classes: conversation and the emails you can exchange with each other. So, the key thing: getting tied to a real program, with your help.” / Photo from: talentplus com

One day teacher B said to teacher A, “Arrange the misbehavior problem with that kid who was teasing out his classmates, and disrupting the class. Take him to talk aside, if possible, sitting in your office or in an empty classroom. Otherwise, if it is not simple to talk with him this way, when they are writing an exercise on the course book, and silently, approach the small-terrorist’s desk. Speak to him in a low voice, gently, putting him before his responsibility and his yet maybe fading wish to do things good. Push him upward, to a noble behavior. You too are ‘alone’ in the middle of the classroom, even more, you can duck close to him. Albeit his classmates are perfectly listening to your dialog, say, it is as if psychologically, in some way, you two were alone. Thus you do not humilliate him before his friends, which is terrible for an adolescent. Discipline: if possible, in a positive mood, in a constructive way, helping them gain virtues: hard-working, maturity, comradeship, soli...

A few days ago I came accross a cracker web site fitting adult learners, or even adolescents. So so useful, look: By GetEnglishLessons on 06/07/09 at 9:50 am “ A Job Interview in English – ESL/EFL/Business English Some adult students are learning English for their jobs and some other to apply for jobs. Nothing better than a list of questions they are going to be asked on the day of the interview. Interviewing Questions Below is a listing of sample interview questions to use as a guideline when developing questions you might ask a potential employee. The trend in developing these interview questions has been to make them behavioral based, allowing the interviewer to get the maximum benefit from the interview. *** General · Tell me about your recent work experience(s). · Why did you leave your previous place of employment? · Why are there gaps in your employment history? · What strengths and weaknesses would you bring to this position? · What is your understanding of this position...

The teaching coach told veteran Shean, "You asked me for a high-level game. Making up a résumé, a CV, in other words. The teacher has to think of the possible points the student should name on his or her résumé. Elicit from your students what they think they should include on it. Basically I'd say three points. This is a game that prepares them for their future. Basically there should be three points: formation, professional experience, and hobbies and interests. The résumés should include what the candidate expects the company is going to have a special interest in. A second step could be coming to the front part of the classroom and present her résumé. Three adults will present their résumé. Then, the rest of the class-group will say pros and cons about each one, perhaps with the help of questions by the teacher." On the photo Louise Moncrieff. Thanks to www hwsa org usa .

Within a few years our students who enter university in Spain will have to pass an aural (oral) exam of English, as a part of the examination of Selectividad. A highly helpful activity. For an advanced class, or just one activity (project) you want to carry out with your students, for them to leap high. T o maintain a job interview with them. She, for example, a student in your class, wishes to be hired as a secretary for the President of a local company near your town. Or for the National Manager of General Motors, Inc. Let her prepare the interview, on her own, predicting likely inquiries and questions. Possible vocabulary. Good answers and responses. She eagerly wants to enter! For her career, and for her family. Let her make up her résumé (CV), maybe with your help. Also help her with possible questions, defending and briefing furtherly about the résumé too. Brainstorm useful vocabulary, make lists of helpful lexis, practice suitable verbal tenses. I mean, the point is to make up o...